How Amtrak’s customer experience got on track with service design (and TheyDo)

    amtrak

    All aboard the service design express!? Amtrak is — and it just left its outdated processes at the station. In a recent post on LinkedIn, the national railroad company shared how it's using service design to modernize its customer experience. We here at TheyDo couldn’t help but feel a spark of pride in seeing our iconography and journey management tools in action.

    As Lola Bravo, one of the designers behind this effort, said, “This is one of my favorite blueprints I have ever made and a great example of how we can use service design and strategic foresight to influence product strategy today!”

    But this isn’t just about creating beautiful maps or frameworks. It’s about using them to drive real, actionable changes—not only for customers but also for the employees who bring those experiences to life. Amtrak’s approach highlights a deeper truth: solving customer journey pain points demands more than just insight. It requires cross-team collaboration and a shift toward a truly customer-centric mindset across the organization.

    Here’s how Amtrak tackled these challenges and how their approach can inspire your team.

    Making connections on customer journeys

    When teams don’t align, customer journeys can feel as disjointed as missed train connections. Designers might be mapping journeys while product managers are working on roadmaps, and frontline employees are often left in the dark.

    Amtrak was no stranger to this. With decades of legacy systems and processes, they needed a way to connect teams, empower employees, and prioritize the customer at every touchpoint.

    Amtrak’s solution: service design frameworks

    Amtrak’s Experience Design and Innovation team leaned into service design to modernize its operations and deliver seamless customer experiences. Here’s what they achieved:

    • Vision mapping for alignment: Using annual trend reports and insights from across the organization, they created “now, next, future” vision maps. These helped align teams around shared goals and gave everyone a clear understanding of where they were headed.

    • Inclusive journey mapping: They prioritized diverse customer needs by mapping holistic journeys for segments like Blind/Low Vision guests. This ensured their services were not just functional but also welcoming and accessible.

    • Actionable roadmaps: Their service blueprints didn’t just highlight what needed to change—they provided tangible, step-by-step plans for product managers to turn insights into impactful improvements.

    This approach bridged the gap between strategy and execution, equipping teams with the tools and understanding needed to collaborate effectively.

    What made it work? Collaboration.

    Service design thrives on cross-functional collaboration, and Amtrak has fully embraced this. By leveraging TheyDo to map even the smallest details of the customer journey and using its iconography to tell a clear, compelling story, they fostered a culture where insights were shared openly, ideas flowed freely, and teams aligned around a shared vision.

    Lessons from Amtrak’s journey

    Amtrak’s story offers valuable takeaways for any organization looking to improve its customer journeys:

    • Align teams with a shared vision: Vision maps help everyone see the bigger picture and stay focused on shared goals.

    • Design for inclusivity: Prioritizing diverse customer needs creates journeys that work for everyone.

    • Make strategy actionable: Service blueprints translate insights into clear, implementable roadmaps.

    • Empower collaboration: Cross-functional teams and shared platforms like TheyDo ensure that no one works in a silo.

    Get on board with service design

    Amtrak’s transformation proves that even organizations with decades of legacy processes can modernize and thrive. By embracing service design and tools like TheyDo, they’re leading the way in customer-centric innovation.

    But it’s not just about the tools — it’s about how they’re used to tell powerful stories and drive meaningful change. Ryan Leveille, a leader at Amtrak, put it simply: “Highly recommend TheyDo – Journey Management.”

    So, what’s your next stop? Whether you’re tackling outdated processes or trying to align your teams, service design can help you get back on track. Start using TheyDo for free and see how it can empower your journey toward better customer experiences.


    This article is inspired by Ryan Leveille's LinkedIn post.